iPhone Duo Screens Are Cracking Along the Hinge as Early Owners Report Problems

Apple’s first foldable iPhone is already facing reports of broken inner screens, just as the device reaches customers. Several owners have shared photos of cracks near the hinge, raising questions about the phone’s durability.

According to reports shared on Reddit and the MacRumors forums, some iPhone Duo displays have developed cracks along the central fold. In several cases, the damage also caused a bright line of pixels to appear on one side of the screen.

One owner in Australia said the screen broke after fewer than 20 openings. They reported feeling something near the hinge while opening the phone, followed by a cracking sound. The display then failed, despite no visible damage to its surface or the external hinge.

The owner took the device to an Apple Store, where Apple replaced it. The company is likely to examine affected units to understand what went wrong and whether changes to production are needed.

It is too early to say. More images of damaged iPhone Duo units have appeared online, including photos of demo devices in China. However, the background of many cases is unknown, and accidental damage cannot be ruled out.

Some reviewers also tested the phone by opening and closing it many times without seeing any screen problems. Still, those tests involve a limited number of devices and cannot prove that every unit is safe from failure.

Apple has not confirmed a widespread hardware fault. With the iPhone Duo only now reaching more buyers, it will take time to understand how common these failures are.

The reports are worth watching because repairs can be expensive. In the US, Apple lists an inner-screen repair at $999 without AppleCare+. With AppleCare+, the fee drops to $99 for covered accidental damage.

A normal hinge failure caused by a defect should be covered by the phone’s one-year warranty. Buyers also have a two-week return window, according to MacRumors.

For now, these early reports are a warning, not proof of a major design flaw. The key question is whether more owners report the same problem during normal use.